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(ModeL) M. E. SIMMONS.

BUGKLE FOR HARNESS, &c.

No. 279,028. Patented June 5,1883..

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MYRO) E. SIMMONS, OF ROCKY RIDGE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL H. MIZENES, OF SAME PLACE.

BUCKLE FOR HARNESS, &.c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,028, dated June 5, 1883.

Application filed March I, 1883.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MYRoN E. SIMnoNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rocky Ridge, in the county of Ottawa and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Buckles for Harness-and other Uses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in buckles, and it is intended to produce a buckle which shall be simple in construction, effective in operation, and which may be provided or manufactured at comparatively small cost.

My improved buckle is designed for use,

principally, in connection with harness; but it may be applied with equal advantage to the various purposes for which ordinary buckles are employed.

Harness-buckles as ordinarily constructed are usually fastened by sewing or riveting to the leather straps composingthe harness, and the said straps then bent over to form loops to receive the rings or other attaching devices, and the ends of the straps finally inserted in the buckle-frame and secured by the tongue, which is pivoted on or has its bearings in the central cross-bar thereof. These buckles have many disadvantages which my invention is designed to obviate; and the object of the 0 invention is to prei'ent any direct strain upon and lessen the wear of the strap at the loop; to prevent the strap being bent too abruptly in forming the loop, and thus obviate the.

breaking of the grain of the leather; to prevent 3 5 the strap from being drawn close into the buckle, and there becoming dry and hard, so that it cannot be taken out with facility, as in the case of hitching-straps.

The invention consists in the combination, 40 with a buckleframe and hooked pivoted tongue secured to the cross-bar thereof, of lugs or guides upon the upper face of the tongue, as and for the purpose hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is 4 5 a front view of a buckle constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2, a rear view of the same Fig. 3, an edge view; and Fig. 4, asimilar view, showing the buckle in position 011 a strap.

Referring to said drawings, B designates an ordinary buckle-frame, composed of the usual (ModeL) side and end pieces, and with a cross-bar, 0, extending transversely across the frame. To this cross-bar is secured one end of a tongue, T, which is bent over or looped for this purpose. This tongue Tis extended out beyond the frame of the buckle, and terminates or is formed into a hook, H. At each side of the extended portion of the tongue, and on the upper face thereof, is a lug or guide, L, constructed as shown in the drawings, and which are designed to hold and secure the strap in place on the tongue.

The operation of the buckle is as follows? The strap is slitted longitudinally at a proper 6 5 distance from the end, and the tongue T passed through the slit, and the strap pushed close up to the buckle-frame,the tongue being narrowed, as will be seen, for this purpose. The end of the strap is then passed through the ring of the bridle-bit, or the rings or loops of other parts of the harness to be attached, then car ried over and around the hook H, then beneath the lugs or guides L L, then under the front end of the buckle-frame over the crossbar O, and finally out under the. rear end of the frame.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the harness rings or loops are engaged by the hooked end of tongue, instead of by the straploop, as heretofore, and that the strain and wear will consequently be upon the tongue instead of upon the strap, and as the tongue is to be made of metal, it will be very strong and much more durable than the ordinary leather straps.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- The combination, with a buckle-frame and tongue hinged to the cross-bar thereof, and extended out beyond the frame, and terminat- 9o ing in a hook, of the side lugs or guides 011 the extended portion of the tongue to receive and hold the strap thereto, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MYRON E. SIMMONS.

\Vitnesses:

\VILLIAM H. TUCKER, JOSEPH N. OLOUsE. 

